The latest news affecting umbrella companies in the UK. Featuring HMRC, the Agency Workers Directive, the 2003 Agency Regulations, and IR35.
Are IT outsourcers really being fair to their clients? According to a recent survey, 77% of IT professionals working in companies that outsource work say their outsourcers make up work to get more money.
Umbrella company contractors may be interested to learn that public sector pay has risen at a faster rate than it has in the private sector.
Although the majority of SMEs in the UK have faith in exports leading the economic recovery, nearly 25% say they are going to decrease their international trading activity.
Good news for umbrella company contractors working in the renewable sector comes from Vestas, the wind turbine manufacturer, which intends to build giant turbines in Kent.
George Osborne has told his fellow MPs that HMRC stopped £1 billion of incorrect or fraudulent tax credit payments in the last financial year.
The REC has called on the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills to provide increased clarity over the way the AWR will operate in the education sector.
The latest statistics from the government show that UK bankruptcies have fallen significantly over the last 12 months.
This week is International Ideas Week, a time when employers are encouraged to involve their staff and listen to their ideas.
The current transitional jobs market could prove to be a godsend for umbrella company contractors.
Lord Oakeshott, the former Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesman has accused the UK banks of hindering the economic recovery by refusing finance to small enterprises and charging extravagant rates when they do.
HMRC should focus on detecting genuine cases of disguised employment rather than jumping to the conclusion that all freelancers are subject to IR35 rules, according to the REC.
54% of senior IT decision makers use IT staffing specialists when it comes to hiring new employees, according to IT recruiter Modis International.
Umbrella company contractors will no doubt be relieved to learn that confidence is improving amongst small business owners.
Lawspeed, the recruitment law specialist firm, claims there could be a conflict of interest between HR and finance departments when the Agency Workers Regulations are enforced in October this year.
Figures released last Wednesday showed a 0.5% increase in GDP in the first quarter of 2011. This balanced out the drop of 0.5% in the final quarter of last year, which was blamed on the abnormal weather we saw in December.
Accountants claim that HMRC is adopting threatening behaviour towards innocent tax payers and umbrella company contractors in a bid to gather in more income.
